Helleborus plant named ‘EPB 32’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘EPB 32’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; uniform, continuous and freely flowering habit; relatively large dark purple-colored flowers that are held above the foliar plane on relatively long peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus×hybridus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘EPB 32’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus×hybridus andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘EPB 32’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Devon, United Kingdom. The objective ofthe breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Helleborusplants with strong peduncles that hold numerous attractive flowers abovethe foliar plane.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventors in Devon, United Kingdom on Jan. 23, 2008 of aproprietary seedling selection of Helleborus×hybridus identified as codedesignation BGE-8855, as the female, or seed, parent, not patented, witha proprietary seedling selection of Helleborus×hybridus identified ascode designation EDB-469, as the male, or pollen, parent, not patented.The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors asa single flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Devon,United Kingdom on Feb. 16, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by tissue culture in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlandssince Apr. 10, 2013, has shown that the unique features of this newHelleborus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype of the new Helleborus plant may vary somewhat with variationsin environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype of the new Helleborus plant.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘EPB 32’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘EPB 32’ as a new and distinct Helleborus plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Uniform, continuous and freely flowering habit.    -   3. Relatively large dark purple-colored flowers that are held        above the foliar plane on relatively long peduncles.    -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus are shorter than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have lighter purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus are shorter than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have lighter purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants ofHelleborus×hybridus ‘ABCRD02’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,720.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Devon, United Kingdom, plantsof the new Helleborus differed from plants of ‘ABCRD02’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus were broader than plants of        ‘ABCRD02’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Helleborus were smaller and        lighter green in color than leaves of plants of ‘ABCRD02’.    -   3. Plants of the new Helleborus were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘ABCRD02’.    -   4. Plants of the new Helleborus and ‘ABCRD02’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘ABCRD02’ had lighter purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘EPB 32’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘EPB 32’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter in three-litercontainers in an outdoor nursery in Boijl, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial Helleborus production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 0° C. to 10°C. and night temperatures ranged from −15° C. to 0° C. Plants were oneyear old when the photographs and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus hybridus ‘EPB 32’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Helleborus×hybridus identified as code designation BGE-8855,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Helleborus×hybridus identified as code designation EDB-469,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at            temperatures about 22° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two            months at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fleshy, vigorous; typically white to brown            in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright and            mounding plant habit with flowers held above the foliar            plane; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm to 35 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 30 cm to 40 cm.        -   Stems.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Shiny. Color: Close to 146B with            spots, close to 187A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged alternately in a basal rosette;            leaves palmately compound with three to five leaflets per            leaf.        -   Leaflet length.—About 10 cm to 15 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 7 cm to 10 cm.        -   Leaflet shape.—Ovate to lanceolate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Acute.        -   Leaflet margin.—Serrate.        -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Leaflet luster, upper surface.—Shiny.        -   Leaflet luster, lower surface.—Somewhat shiny.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to            137A; towards the center, slightly overlain with close to            187B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A            overlain with close to 187A. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to 139A; spots, close to 138B; towards the            center, slightly overlain with close to N187C; venation,            close to 139C, proximally, close to 187A. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B overlain with close to            187A; venation, close to 137B and 187A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 10 cm to 15 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm            to 7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, developing leaves, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 146A; spots, close to N186C. Color, fully            expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A;            spots, close to N186A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged in            loosely branched cymes; freely flowering habit with            typically about 10 to 25 flowers developing per cyme and up            to 40 flowers developing per cyme in the second year of            growth; flowers facing outwardly and somewhat drooping.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about two            months after planting; plants flower from January until            March in the United Kingdom.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About two to three months;            flowers persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 25 cm to 30 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 35 cm to 45 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1            cm to 2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to N79B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm to 3 cm.        -   Petals.—None observed; transformed into nectaries.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm to            4.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to obovate. Apex: Obtuse and            occasionally emarginate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Mostly            entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color: When opening            and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N79A; towards the            center and base, close to 146C; spots, close to 79A; color            does not change with development. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to N79B; color does not change            with development.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 10 cm to 15 cm. Diameter: About 5            mm to 10 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B; spots,            close to 187A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 cm to 12 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm            to 4 mm. Aspect: About 10° from peduncle axis. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B;            spots, close to 187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 60.            Filament length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Filament color: Close            to 155D. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 4B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 4B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About            five. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.            Stigma color: Close to 4D. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style            color: Close to N79B. Ovary color: Close to N79B.        -   Nectaries.—Quantity per flower: About 10 to 15. Length:            About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Shape:            Funnelform. Color: Close to N144C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Helleborus.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about −20° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Helleborus plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘EPB 32’ asillustrated and described.